National Strategy Forum Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
363330418
IRS 990 coverage
2011–2011
Forms available
Form 990 2011
Location
Chicago, IL, USA
Phone
3126971286
Rating confidence
Limited
Sector
Research Institutes and Public Policy Analysis

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$260,881
Expenses
$344,418
Assets
$151,781
Liabilities
$8,504

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2011. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

7 people listed

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2011. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

The mission of the National Strategy Forum is to educate the public about the issues and trends affecting national security strategy. A well-informed public is vital to the development of civic responsibility and a viable security structure, and the National Strategy Forum's principal mission is to promote open and informed public dialogue about national security topics such as international terrorism, homeland security and defense, continuity of public and private sector operations after a catastrophic incident, and civilian emergency preparedness. Public education programs include the National Strategy Forum Speaker Series (8 or more lectures annually), an online national security journal entitled the National Strategy Forum Review, and the NSF Blog. There is no charge for membership in the National Strategy Forum, only an annual member fundraising campaign. In addition to its public education programs, the NSF conducts conferences and symposiums on various subjects relating to natio

What it reported doing in 2011

Forum: The National Strategy Forum presents 8 to 10 lecture programs each year on subjects related to national security and foreign policy. The NSF also hosts small group meetings several times annually with visiting dignitaries, academics, foreign journalists, etc.. As a frequent collaborator with the ABA Standing Committee on Law and National Security, the NSF sends a representative to its Annual Review of the Field Conference to moderate or speak on national security, and attend other committee program-related meetings.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 92% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Cannot be determined from the filing. The filing does not provide enough consistent spending detail to tell whether the nonprofit works directly or through others.

The verdict

- The available evidence is not sufficient to produce an overall rating for this filing. This is not a warning sign.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: NotEnoughData
  • Transparency & Controls: 100
  • Accountability: 81
  • Sustainability: 18
  • Growth: NotEnoughData

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: Limited
  • Program expense ratio: Limited
  • Fundraising efficiency: Limited

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 60th percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: Limited
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: Limited
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 85.7%; rating input score 86; 22nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 6 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 75
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Fail
    • Document-retention policy: Fail
    • CEO compensation review process: Pass
    • Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: -32%; rating input score 9; 9th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.44; rating input score 25; 25th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.06; rating input score 45; 45th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 29.9%; rating input score 11; 11th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: Limited
  • Revenue growth: Limited
  • Asset growth: Limited

Details

  • Where the money goes: Financial trends and filed revenue, expense, asset, and liability detail
  • Governance: 6 of 7 board members independent · 6 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 3 filed program accomplishments · $249K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $103K · 7 people listed
  • Consistency: 26 of 26 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 4 filed schedules · includes major donors
  • Grant readiness: Federal tax and exclusion status, award history, and grant-maker relationships.

Key Signals

Signals prioritize questions for review. They are not findings of misconduct.

  • High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 9/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: 2 of 8 not reported.
  • High — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 25/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 11/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 45/100.